The European Union will set emissions-cutting targets for 2035 and 2040 in time for the COP30 climate summit in November, the European Commission president said on Tuesday, after the bloc missed a U.N. deadline to approve the goals this month.
Other major economies, including China, met the U.N. deadline.
"Ahead of COP30 in Belem, we will set NDC targets for 2035 and 2040," Ursula von der Leyen told an EU event in Brussels via video message. The UN refers to countries' climate targets as "nationally determined contributions".
While seeking to pressure EU countries to make a decision, von der Leyen acknowledged the need for pragmatism given divisions between member countries over the goals.
"How we reach these targets will be different. The world has changed. Global competition is fierce and not always fair. We need more flexibility, more pragmatism, but by staying the course, we provide stability for workers, clarity for businesses, and certainty for investors," she said.
Von der Leyen said Europe would stand by its climate goals, that Brussels was cutting red tape to help businesses with the green transition, and was investing in power grids so consumers will feel the benefits of cheaper renewable energy.
But, as U.S. President Donald Trump has sought to lead a shift away from climate action, economies have stalled and Europe has prioritised defence spending, and some EU members have pressed the Commission to slow down its green agenda.
The COP30 climate talks in Belem, Brazil, will be a test of major economies' appetite to continue their efforts.
Not all are confident the EU will agree its targets in time. Countries including France, Germany and Poland have demanded governments debate the climate goals at a summit in late October. That will leave member states with only a few weeks to finish and approve the targets before COP30.
"I don't know whether we will be in time for Belem, I just don't know. It depends on many, many elements right now," a senior Polish official said.
